Removable letter sign



Jan. 16, 1951 w. 1. STAAF REMOVABLE LETTER SIGN Filed April 13, 1948 ZZZJNVFNTOR. WERNE R l. STAAF. BY

Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REMOVABLE LETTER SIGNWerner I. Staaf, Rennerdale, Pa.

Application April 13, 1948, Serial No. 20,670

2 Glaims. 1

This invention relates to letter display signs, and is for a sign forthe display of letters, numerals and other display characters in whichthe letters or display elements are firmly held, but into which they maybe readily inserted, and easily removed for cleaning or replacement.

My invention has for its object to provide a sign with a sign bar ofnovel construction, which is simple and economical to manufacture, andin which the letters will be tightly held.

My invention is characterized by the provision of a bar, preferablyextruded from aluminum or other light metal having closely spacedflanges. Between these is a spring metal strip secured to one of theflanges and yieldably pressing against the other. The letters or likedisplay characters are provided with tabs which are inserted between thespring and the flange toward which the spring is urged.

My invention may be more fully understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view Of the sign bar, the bar being shown insection; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 on a smaller scale showing someletters in place and viewing the sign bar from the opposite face.

In the drawings, 2 designates the bottom flange or web of anangle-shaped sign bar having a front upright flange 3. There is a secondupright flange 4 parallel with the flange 3 and spaced a slight distanceto the rear of it. Near the base of the rear flange 4 at intervalstherealong are holes 5. The sign bar is preferably formed of extrudedaluminum or other light metal. Hence it may be quite cheaply formed inany desired length and is of good appearance.

Fitted over the flange 4 is a resilient metal strip of clip form havingan inverted U-shaped portion 6 that snugly flts the top edge of theflange 4. One leg of this strip projects down between the flanges 3 and4 and is bowed outwardly to contact the inner face of the flange 3 andthen curves back toward the flange 4 at its lowermost edge. Thisresilient bowed leaf spring portion of the clip is designated 7. Theother leg 3 of the U-shaped strip extends down over the rear face of theflange 4 and it partly covers the holes 5. Where the leg 8 passes overthe holes 5, it is pressed inwardly, as indicated at 9, so as tointerlock the strip with the flange and restrain it from endwisemovement or from transverse or upward movement. Strip stainless steel ispreferably used for this purpose.

The letters or other display figures, designated I0, may be of variousforms. I have shown them formed of embossed sheet metal. They areprovided with flat extensions or tabs l I. These tabs are forced downinto the space between the two flanges and they are frictionally engagedby the bowed spring 1. The tab are forced down until the lower edge ofthe letter or other display contacts the top edges of the upstandingflanges.

The spring cli is substantially co-extensive with the sign bar. Theflange 2 provides a convenient base that may be rested on and secured toa supporting ledge, brackets, or the like. The assembled sign is lightand easy to handle and install. The letters, while being easilyinserted, are firmly gripped and will not dislodge even if the sign beturned upside down. However, if they be gripped and pulled in a propermanner, they can be easily taken for rearrangement or change. The signis attractive, inexpensive and convenient.

While I have shown letters in the sign, other characters or figures maybe used. The letters or other display characters may be of metal,plastic, or other material. If made of wood the metal tabs areseparately secured thereto.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,various changes and modifications may be made therein.

I claim:

1. A sign bar comprising an angle-shaped metal section with a baseflange and an. upright flange, the upright flange being comprised ofparallel spaced webs one of which is directly in front of the other, andan inverted U-shaped leaf spring resiliently engaged over the rear weband having the leg of the U which is between the two webs bowedoutwardly from the plane of the rear web toward the front web.

2. A sign bar comprising an angle-shaped metal section with a baseflange and an upright flange, the upright flange being comprised ofparallel spaced webs one of which is directly in front of the other, andan inverted U-shaped leaf spring resiliently engaged over the rear weband having the leg of the U which is between the two webs bowedoutwardly from the plane of the rear web toward the front web, the rearweb having holes near the base thereof at intervals therealong, the rearleg of the inverted U-shaped spring being de-formed into said holes tointerlock the spring with the web.

WERNER I. STAAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 383,797 Crofut May 29, 1888715,532 Anderson Dec. 9, 1902 949,578 Keene Feb. 15, 1910 1,726,146Fuessler Aug. 27, 1929 1,826,769 Glidden Oct. 13, 1931 2,009,262Hetherington July 23, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 794,488France Dec, 12, 1935

